IAS eNews

IAS Survey Team Evaluates Construction Practices

From left, Ahmed Obaid Al Khaili, Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi; James A. Martin, Jr., CBO, International Representative, ICC; Preet Bassi, IAS Building Department Evaluator; Chuck Ramani, President, IAS; Colonel Othman Yousef Al Tamami, Director of Emergency & Public Safety Dept., Abu Dhabi Police; Imad Yahya Eldurubi, FBEng., International Representative, IAS; Manfred Wilkens, Executive Team Head, Technical Rescue & Quick Intervention, Abu Dhabi Police; Dr. David Nelson, Manager Abu Dhabi Project, IAS; and Achim Ande, Sr. Deputy Head of Executive Team, Technical Rescue & Quick Intervention, Abu Dhabi Police.

In late summer 2009, representatives from the International Accreditation Service (IAS) visited the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In anticipation of the Emirate’s desire to adopt the International Code Council's family of International Codes in January 2010, IAS met with municipal, emirate and federal government officials as well as private-sector stakeholders involved in building and construction. The purpose of the visit was to study existing construction sites and to conduct a survey of construction practices to determine if Abu Dhabi had the necessary administrative and regulatory infrastructure to implement the codes.

The visit was an exciting learning experience with a great sharing of knowledge and information between the parties involved. The survey by IAS experts will result in a report identifying areas where internationally accepted best practices in conformity assessment and code administration could be implemented.

IAS Construction Practices Survey Project, Emirate of Abu Dhab

IAS has been retained by the government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to conduct a Construction Practices Survey, to assess its administrative and regulatory infrastructure in preparation of national adoption of the International Codes. As a part of this research, a team of IAS representatives visited the Emirate for 10 days in late July, meeting with a variety of private-sector and governmental officials who participate in contruction regulation, testing and inspection. The visit was highly productive, with an excellent exchange of information between the parties.